Report: America’s Worst Drivers Live in Washington

The U.S. capital may be infamous for political dysfunction, but it seems the breakdown extends to its roads, too.

Washington residents are the worst (read: most accident-prone) drivers in the country, according to a recent report by insurance company Allstate. The city’s drivers get into more collisions – on average once every 4.8 years – than motorists in any of the 200 other largest cities in the U.S. Overall, the average American driver crashes just once every 10 years.

The Northbrook, Ill.-based company’s rankings show that D.C. denizens are 107.3% more likely to get into an accident than regular drivers elsewhere. Maybe it’s all the stress from late-night budget talks and intense lobbying?

It’s not much better just down the road from the capital, either. In neighboring Baltimore, Md., Allstate found drivers typically crash once every 5.3 years, putting them into second spot nationwide. Glendale, Calif., came third, while Newark, N.J., and Providence, R.I., make up the remaining top five spots. Perhaps the biggest surprise of the survey: New York City did not make the top 10, relegated to number 20.

At the other end of the scale, Fort Collins, Colo., was deemed the safest place to drive. Residents there are involved in a crash on average once every 14 years. The insurer found smaller cities with populations under 1 million people are the safest in the country.

Mike Roche, executive vice president for Allstate’s claim organization, said the study should raise awareness of driving safely. “Human behavior is the biggest cause of accidents. It is vital for us to educate American drivers about safe driving behaviors they can demonstrate on the road that will help make our roadways safer,” he said. (via MSNBC)